You can use an HDRI map to light a scene with an environement :
BASIC CONCEPTS:
- Use V-Ray Light in “Dome” mode (units = default, dont’ use watts!)
- Load the Hdri map in the V-Ray Light – Texture channel
- Increase multiplier to increase the light in the scene
- Use “horizintal rotation” to rotate the environment
EXERCISE:
Download ES09 -VRAY HDRI.ZIP | OBJ Version and do the same you watched in the video.
A sample hdri map is included.
Note:
Hdri maps are for objects, cars, exteriors: everything has no cover on the top.
Hdri maps don’t affect interiors very much (useless for this case)
Always use GOOD and BIG hdri maps :Â MyFavourites.
Hello Ciro,
I have a question about mapping type of HDRI. Can you explain why you used cubic mapping type and not some other?
Is there a norm about what type of mapping we choose if we deal with interior and exterior types of visualizations?Or the mapping depends on how the HDRI has been produced?
Hi VIKOUM,
the mapping type depends on the map. When you buy or download a map collection this is usually indicated on the collection title or in the map name: “Cubic-skies”, “spherical ambient” ecc. In this case the hdri name is “hdrimap_cross.hdr” and cross means cubic. I’ll update the lesson, thanks! (if you open a cube you get a cross, this is the reason)
Hello again!
This means that if an HDRI has the name Light Probe I have to check the spherical mapping?
Hi VIKTORIA,
if you mean the HDRIs here > http://www.pauldebevec.com/Probes/ you can read: “Grace Cathedral, San Francisco / 1000 × 1000 / Dynamic range: 200,000:1 / Angular map: .hdr | .float.gz | .pfm”
that means its mapping type is ANGULAR. You always will find this information in the filename OR in the cover collection OR on the website. Just search for that.
Another point: to achieve good results I suggest always to use GOOD and BIG hdri maps. (at least around 8000 x 8000)
Hi Ciro
Why is it that you don’t use HDRI for lighting you scene.?
I have been reading a lot on different forum sites (ronen bekerman etc) And many of the people there uses hdri for lighting there interior and exterior scenes.
I have been downloading hdri from cgskies.com and used the large hdries in mys scenes. with two vray domes. One for light and one for dome. with different settings in multiplier and exposure. Also different settings in affect colors and visibility.
Is this a bad way to do it.? In your scene Minimal exterior you úse a vray sun and sky. But the reflections from the sky (clouds) you get from an hdri, you don’t get with vray sun. And in post you placed a sky with clouds.
Can you tell me a little about your method compared to mine.?
Hi Martin,
HDRI for exteriors is a choice, it’s depends on what you’re looking for.
I just can say in web there are A LOT of errors about.
2 vray domes?! That’s new…
It could work, but this is not the correct way to use HDRI.
HDRI in simply a special picture of the environemt, that you can use to light you 3d scene… and the lighting “in the air” will be exactly the same of the place where the shot was taken.
IN MINIMAL EXTERIOR I just us VRAYSUN + SKY (there’s no reflections with clouds, check it again) just because my idea was a clean sky, that’s all. The coulds you see I added after, with photoshop (there’s a lesson about).
There’s no “MY” methos and “YOUR” method, the simple way to use HDRI is putting it in a VRAYLIGHT-DOME, like I show is this lesson > https://www.cg-blog.com/index.php/2011/01/12/vray-light-hdri.htm
Hope this help!
Ciro
Hi Ciro.
About the method with two hdri. you can read here: http://cgskies.com/resources_tutorial_rendering.php
I am a newbie and just trying to figure out the right way to do things. I don’t know all the pros/cons on different methods. But hope to learn this in the future.
Why is there a lot of errors with hdri, many of the well known artist uses hdri all the time.?
Martin
It’s simply crazy.
This tutorial DESTROY the reason for HDRI was invented!
OK. can you explain why. I am not sure why.?
The most important aspect of HDRI is having light+environment in 1 file. This “coherence” is that produce realism becasue every aspect perfectly balanced: of course, it’s taken from the reality. With this 2 domes you divide these 2 components in 2 different lights… and it’s up to you balance them.
Of course everyone can do everything, there’s no problem.
But if you read such articles to “understand”, this is a big problem!
Do you hope your render will result better with this?
I can confirm that’s not true.
Please, tell me if the concept is clear 🙂
Here you can see the discussion about the method with two domes.
http://www.peterguthrie.net/blog/2012/02/hdri-lighting-workflow/
Thank you Martin, anyway I suggest you to learn AT FIRST the principles of HDRI. After you can do what you want… But if you read such discussions and you don’t have a clear idea of HDRI.. this will be just confusing.